Grounding and painted parts

[Conn47D24]

Many threads here about the importance of propery grounding our 6v pos. Systems.

I have painted my 230 ci engine parts.  Now that I'm near assembly I question what grounding points should be bare metal to metal contact.

Please advise.

[Plymouthy Adams]

basically the point that is the connection of your main cable and hopefully you also have a strap from engine to body to chassis in order to maintain the same potential at all points.  Any point within the electrical requiring ground wire points or physical secure attachment of components needs to have the contact points clean also...some will run a short dedicated ground lead here...

[Don Coatney]

[DrDoctor]

Conn47D24,

   The answer to that’s rather simple – ANY metal-to-metal point of contact vis-à-vis electrical continuity MUST be bare metal to provide that continuity in the electrical system, regardless of whether it’s 6v or 12v, or whether it’s + or -  ground.

   Contemporary cars have a plethora of grounds in their electrical systems, due to the presence of so many electronic components. Cars of the post-WWII era obviously don’t have electronic components, so a more simple method of circuit continuity was utilized, and effectively so.

   I feel your pain at having to scrape away some of your newly applied shiny paint (believe me – been there/done that), but this is an occasion where form and function supersede pretty. That’s not to say that you’ve got to remove an excessive amount of paint in the area in question. Rather, just a sufficient amount for continuity. TIP – use star-washers at each such contact point – they dig in ever-so-slightly, and help to ensure a good electrical connection.

   Regards to you . . . .

[Conn47D24]

Thanks ALL !  

 

Don I ordered some braided straps today.

 

As for the cable from the battery.  I have the stud for the Gen bracket but it's in poor shape.

 

If I connect Positve Batt cable to the first head stud, and use a strap from the other end of the block to the firewall ( as shown in Don's photo )  will that be enough.

 

OR is there a better place to connect the Pos. Batt cable ???

 

Clay

[DrDoctor]

Conn47D24,

   Anywhere on the block with a good clear connection will work. When considering the head as a connection, be sure not to loosen a head bolt, lest you run the risk of a resultant leaking head gasket, which will most definitely ruin one’s day . . . .  Regards to you . . .

[DJ194950]

Many pics I have seen on this forum have shown a ground to the front left head bolt that has the special but available at times-threaded top with the positive grounded there.

 

I do Not personally like that because the bolt itself goes into a water jacket of the block!

 

Most Mopar trucks on the truck side of the forum however show the ground to the starter bolt at the block.

 

I Much prefer the truck method of the grounding.

 

I agree with other posts- add a ground motor to body-motor to frame and add as many as reasonable between major parts!  You never have grounding issues then.

 

DJ

[chrysler1941]

Agree with DJ194950, you never have enough grounding straps. braided straps are ugly. All mine are hidden under engine/transmission.

Generator bracket stud has battery cable and a braided strap to frame hidden under generator.

[DrDoctor]

   I must agree with both DJ194950, and with chrysler1941 – with DJ194950 regarding the location of the engine’s grounding location, and with chrysler1941 regarding the appearance of the braided straps typically utilized for grounding purposes. Where’s it written that grounds must be specific locations, or that grounds must be braided??? On our car, I used very large/regular battery cables for the grounds, simply because I prefer their appearance. The braided straps look really bad once they’re dirty. Dirty battery cables just wipe clean. I also have fabricated “ground lugs” – 1 under the hood, 1 under the dashboard, and 1 in the trunk – with all of them connected together, and the whole team connected to the same location as the negative cable from the battery (yes, the negative terminal – the car was wired that way when we got it, and when I rewired the car, I saw no really good reason to change it). Regards to both of you . . .

[greg g]

Clean to bare metal, properly secure ground, touch up paint.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Make sure the mounting pad/area  for the starter is clean of paint.

Otherwise possibly slow or no stater operation....been there on that.